An episode that continues to haunt Hollywood began on this date 65 years ago

by Cheryl Devall

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Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo was one of the "Hollywood Ten" writers blacklisted for alleged Communist sympathies amid a House Un-American Activities Committee investigation that began in 1947. As a result he and many others worked under pseudonyms. After 60 years, the Writers Guild and the studio that produced Academy Award-winning "Roman Holiday" posthumously restored his screenwriting credit for that film. John Swope/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

Many Americans admired Russia during the Great Depression and World War Two, when it was an ally against fascism. They - and others who signed petitions and attended meetings for left and liberal causes – aroused suspicion among anti-Communist lawmakers and their allies as the Cold War dawned.

That’s the backdrop for the House Un-American Activities Committee’s investigation of the entertainment industry. Starting in 1947, the committee questioned performers, screenwriters, directors and members of movie and broadcasting unions. The interrogations continued until 1952.

A parade of celebrities on Capitol Hill – including then-Screen Actors Guild president Ronald Reagan - generated publicity. The widely broadcast proceedings bolstered political careers – including that of a young California congressman named Richard Nixon.

The hearings, and the unofficial blacklist that circulated through the industry, also derailed hundreds of entertainers’ careers - some permanently. An intense ideological rift developed in the company town. Some people say it hasn't healed yet.